Footwear construction

ABSTRACT

An elongated last is provided with a profiled underside and a reinforcing member for the article of footwear has an upper side profiled in correspondence with the underside. The upper side of the reinforcing member is provided with bores extending through the reinforcing member. Releasable screw or bayonet connectors are extended through these bores and engage with cooperating connecting portions provided in the underside of the last.

United States Patent [1 1 Mayer-Rieckh July 24, 1973 FOOTWEAR CONSTRUCTION 3,543,316 2/1969 Austin etal 12/142 R [75] Inventor: Michael Mayer-Rieckh, Graz,

us Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson [73] Assignee: Skischuhtabrik Dynafit Gmbli, Attorney Michael S, Striker Graz, Austria [22] Filed: July 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 166,213 57 ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priori y a An elongated last is provided with a profiled underside July 24, 1970 Austria 6799 a a re o cing member for the article of footwear has an upper side profiled in correspondence with the [52] US. Cl 12/142 R, 12/133 B underside. The upper side of the reinforcing member is [51] Int. Cl A4311 9/00 provided with bores extending through the reinforcing [58] Field of Search 122/142 R, 142 RS, m m er. Releasable screw or bayonet connectors are 122/133 R, 146 R, 146 S, 133 B; 36/76 R extended through these bores and engage with cooperating connecting portions provided in the underside of [56] References Cited the last.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,116,501 1/1964 Markevitch 12/142 R 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDJlIlZd ms Fl G. l

PRIOR ART FIG. 3

INVENTOR MICHAEL MA YER 'P/ECKH ATTORNEY FOOTWEAR CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND -OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to footwear constructions, and more particularly to a method of making footwear, and a last and reinforcing member used in carrying out the method.

The present invention is particularly applicable to the making of specific types of footwear, namely sportsshoes or boots, and ski shoes or boots. In thesetypes of footwear items the sole is reinforced by a reinforcing member ofwood,.synthetic plastic or the like because the sole is to be rather'stiff and should not bend.

In the conventional approach to the manufacture of ski shoes on alast, the shaft or upper is placed over the last and is affixed toan insole which may be of leather, rubber, synthetic plastic or the like and is so flexible that upon such connection it will conform it self to the contour of the last. The thus produced unit composed of upper and insole hasthen connected to it the reinforcing member whose upper side usually is profiled only in longitudinal direction, in conformance with the corresponding profiling of the underside of the last.

ltwill beappreciatedthat this is a relatively timeconsuming process, requiring two separateoperating steps. During the connection of thereinforcing member with the insole it is also extremely important to properly maintain the relative position of the two components in order to avoid creating a reject. Such connection is usually effected bymeans of adhesives or by stapling or the like and this means that both the insole and the reinforcing member must be firmly held to avoid a relative displacement. The end result of all of this is that the'manufacture of footwear of the type here under discussion is relatively time-consuming and, consequently, expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages.

More particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of making articles of footwear of the type here under-discussion.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a last and reinforcing member which are to be used in carrying out the novel method.

In pursuance of the above objects, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a method of making such an article of footwear which, briefly stated, comprises the steps of providing an elongated last having a profiled underside and providing a reinforcing member having an upper side profiled in correspondence with this underside. The upper side is thereupon placed in abutment and registry with the underside and releasably connected with the last at least at two longitudinally spaced positions. An upper is placed about the last so that portions of the upper are proximal to the reinforcing member and such portions areaffixed to the reinforcing member so as to obtain a unit composed of the upper and the reinforcing member. Now, the reinforcing member is disconnected from the last, an outer sole is affixed to the thus obtained unit, and the last is removed from the interior of the upper.

In this manner the heretofore customary and necessary insole is completely omitted, that is there is no longer any necessity for providing such an insole. This, of course, results in a saving of material and a consequent reduction in the manufacturing and ultimately in the selling cost of the article of footwear so constructed. Furthermore, the connection of the upper with the reinforcing member is made simpler and when the necessary connection is effected, this simultaneously unites the upper with the reinforcing member in precisely predetermined relative position so that a separate manufacturing step--as heretofore required for connecting the reinforcing member with the upper via the insole-is omitted. Furthermore, it is now no longer necessary to provide special measures for main taining the reinforcing member and the last in predeter mined relative position and to maintain them in this mannerwhile the upper and the reinforcing member are being connected.

The last which is used in accordance with the present invention for carrying out the novel method is provided at its underside at two or more positions or locations which are spaced from one another with suitable constance, the reinforcing member 'may be provided with bores or holes extending from its upper side through the reinforcing member and through which head screws, bayonet connecting bolts or the like may pass to engage with the cooperating clamping means provided on the last itself. Thus, the reinforcing member 'is firmly fixed to the last in the necessary relative position, and the upper can thus be directly connected with the reinforcing member by securing portions of the upper laterally to the edges of the reinforcing member by means of pins, tacks, staples or the like. During this process the reinforcing member is fixedly held with respect to the last so that a separate step of securing them in their relative position is not necessary. After the upper is thus secured to the reinforcing member, the latter is disconnected from the last, the outer sole is secured in known manner to the unit composed of the upper and reinforcing member, and finally the last is removed.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodir'nents when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a diagrammatic transverse sectional view illustrating a shoe with last, produced .in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating a shoe with last produced according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the lower portion of a last such as is shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing in addition the reinforcing member which is to be used with the last.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing firstly FIG. 1, which is a view illustrating the prior art for purposes of comparison and understanding of the present invention, it will be seen that in this cross-section there is illustrated a last 1 over which the shaft or upper 2 of a shoe or boot has been placed. In conventional manner the upper 2 is connected by means of brads, tacks, staples or the like, or by means of a suitable seam, to an insole 3 which may be of leather or another material. The thus-obtained unit composed of upper 2 and insole 3 has connected to it in a separate operating step a reinforcing member 5, for instance by means of a layer of adhesive, by means of staples or the like. In so doing it is essential that the reinforcing member 5 is in proper requisite position with respect to the last and the upper during the connection with the insole. Finally, the outer sole 6 is connected to the thus-obtained unit, for instance by bonding, forming it onto the unit in an extrusion or vulcanizing process, or in other suitable manner.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 shows that the present invention greatly simplifies the manner of producing an article of footwear having such a construction. The same reference numerals have been utilized in FIGS. 2-4 to designate like elements as in FIG. 1, in order to facilitate a comparison with the prior art shown in FIG. 1. It will be seen that in FIGS. 2-4that is by resorting to the present invention--the insole 3 has been completely omitted with the resultant saving in material. It will also be seen that the upper 2 is now directly connected with the reinforcing member 5. Of course, to make this possible it is necessary that the reinforcing member 5 be in proper relative position with reference to the last 2 during the connection. This position must be such that the last after the completion of the shoe can be readily removed from the latter.

To provide for such relative positioning of the last 1 and reinforcing member 5 the last 1 is provided, as shown in FIG. 3, at its profiled underside with connecting means at two or more longitudinally spaced locations. In the illustrated embodiment two such connecting means are provided, here in form of nuts which are internally threaded and which are secured in appropriate recesses 8 at the underside of the last 1, wherein they are retained frictionally by virtue of the illustrated claws formed on the nuts 7 and which claws are pressed or hammered into the material of the last 1 so that the nuts 7 are flush with the underside of the last. The locations at which the recesses 8 are provided are identified with reference designations P1 and P2 and they are located in the illustrated embodiment (but not necessarily) at the most projecting portions or bulges of the last in the tow and heel region of the latter.

The last is used with a reinforcing member 5 whose configuration is most clearly evident from FIG. 4. Of course, each shoe produced according to the present invention requires such a reinforcing member 5 which may consist of wood, synthetic plastic or the like. The upper side of the reinforcing member 5 is profiled in correspondence with the underside of the last 1, meaning that it is profiled to follow the contour of the last not only in the longitudinal direction of the latter, but

also in the transverse direction thereof. In the illustrated embodiment the reinforcing member 5 is further provided with bores or holes B1 and B2 which, when the reinforcing member 5 abuts with its upper side against the underside of the last 1 in registry with the latter, will be in alignment with the locations P1 and P2, respectively, that is with the recesses 8. Through these holes or bores B1 and B2 cooperating connecting means here in form of head screws or bolts 9 are extended and are threaded into the nuts 7, to thereby fix the reinforcing member 5 with respect to the underside of the last 1. When this is done, the upper is placed about the last 1 and connected with those portions of the upper which are located adjacent the lateral edge faces of the reinforcing member 5 in suitable manner, that is by means of nails, brads, staples or the like 10 which are passed through the appropriate portions of the upper and enter into the edge faces of the reinforcing member 5.

Once a unit composed of the upper and the reinforcing member has thus been produced, the connection between the reinforcing member and the last is terminated, hereby unscrewing the screws or bolts 9 from the nuts 7, and the outer sole 6 is secured to or formed onto the unit in known manner which forms no part of the present invention. Following this, the last is withdrawn from the upper in conventional manner.

It will be appreciated that certain modifications will offer themselves to those skilled in the art, over the embodiment illustrated and discussed above. Thus, the nuts 7 and screws 9 may be replaced by bayonet couplings, for instance by securing appropriate female coupling portions on the last 1 and having bolts or similar elements provided with male bayonet coupling portions extending through the reinforcing member 5. Other releasable coupling means can also be utilized. Evidently, the last 1 with the coupling portions thereon can be separately sold, as can be the reinforcing members 5 with appropriate releasable coupling portions, and can then be used in cooperation to produce shoes or boots or other articles of footwear. It is hardly necessary to point out that while in FIG. 2 one of the bolts or screws 9 has been shown in position for explanatory purposes with the sole 6 already affixed to the upper 2, the screws or bolts 9 or analogous connecting portions will of course in actual use be removed from the member 5 before the sole 6 is affixed.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in the making of footwear, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A method of making an article of footwear, comprising the steps of providing an elongated last having a profiled underside; providing a reinforcing member having an upper side profiled in correspondence with said underside; placing said upper side in abutment and registry with said underside; releasably connecting said member to said last at least at two longitudinally spaced positions; placing an upper about said last so that portions of the upper are proximal to said member; affixing said portions to said member so as to obtain a unit comtween them. 

1. A method of making an article of footwear, comprising the steps of providing an elongated last having a profiled underside; providing a reinforcing member having an upper side profiled in correspondence with said underside; placing said upper side in abutment and registry with said underside; releasably connecting said member to said last at least at two longitudinally spaced positions; placing an upper about said last so that portions of the upper are proximal to said member; affixing said portions to said member so as to obtain a unit composed of said upper and said member; disconnecting said member from said last; affixing an outer sole to said unit; and removing said last.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of releasably connecting said member to said last comprises establishing at least two screw connections between them.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of releasably connecting said member to said last comprises establishing at least two bayonet couplings between them. 